The 'Chairpod' is a chair-tripod hybrid that's either ridiculous or brilliant

Sometimes an idea is so crazy, it might just be brilliant—what might be described as "wonderfully weird." The upcoming Chairpod by Japanese tripod manufacturer Velbon might be one of those inventions... or it might just be weird. We haven't decided yet, so we'll leave that judgement up to you.

Originally reported on by Japanese site DC Watch (translated version here), the Chairpod HY 127 is a hybrid between a tripod and a three-legged folding chair that was originally exhibited at CP+ 2017 (how did we miss that!?). One of the legs, in this case, has a standard tripod camera mount on the top that can be extended out to bring the camera level with your face. At max length, it's reportedly 117 centimeters tall, or about 3.8 feet, without the optional extension rod. And if you won't want to use it sitting down, it turns into an odd sort of monopod.

According to DC Watch, the Chairpod will be released through major retail chains in Japan "in late January", and the publication expects it to cost about 19,850 Yen (~$179 USD). No word yet on whether or not this quirky masterpiece will make it to the US or European markets.

Comments

For someone like me, with a degenerative spinal condition, this could be brilliant. I would be far more inclined to use one of my full frame cameras and fast lenses, if i had one of these. My standing time is limited to around 10 minutes or less if I am toting a heavy camera and lens.

i admit, it looks kind of funny, i definitly see the humor in it, but i know quite a few older people that would use this, and it looks like it would actually work, as long as you dont weigh 250 lbs, this is a really good idea, might have to just tweak it a bit, but theres lots of people that would benefit from this.

The snark is pretty funny, but every photography group I'm in has a ton of retirees, where standing for six to eight hours in a day can be a challenge. This addresses that issue pretty well. I don't need it, but I bet it would help some folks.

Wow at these comments. No, this would not be suitable to use in soft ground like quicksand. No, this is not suitable for forty seven minute bulb exposures. Are people so deficient that they can only think about the most extreme and stupid applications for products, and that no one on the planet can find a use for them otherwise.

I bet this device doesn't force the shutter speed so low that the capture isn't done until the heat death of the universe. And if it can be just a hair quicker than that, then I would also bet camera shake won't be a problem for dozens of shooting situations where a person might also want to sit. And I think someone who isn't stupid enough to set a regular stool in a mud pit might also not be stupid enough to set this thing up in one, either.

I don't know about you bust most of my base iso work is rarely more than a few seconds, however I doubt anyone who has control of their nervous system would have an issue sitting still-ish for an exposure.

When I am using a tripod (a solid Manfrotto one), I try everything not to touch it during exposure - even a breeze can potentially already make a difference. So I am not convinced at all that by having the tripod combined with a seat would avoid vibration. I do a lot of long exposure stuff with a 10 stop ND filter where exposures easily can take 20 seconds and longer.

This is a good compromise between portability and usability, not to be replace a real tripod, it is useful for casual birding and wildlife and games, but it has very limited pan/tracking capacity and cost bit too high IMO.

I have a $150 walker from Costco that has a chair, storage space under the seat, parking brakes, folds flat, and yes, has a collapsible coffee cup holder. Seattle, after all is the birthplace of Starbucks. Sitting down, I can hold a camera fairly stable. The storage area under the seat could hold a DSLR. I look forward to trying at the zoo when the sun returns. I am 81 and in the 18th year of rheumatoid arthritis. My monthly infusion of actemra costs $2500. Fortunately, my rich uncle picks up the tab for nearly all my medical expenses, including drugs. His name is Sam, and I have never been to the VA.

I don't think that it is a replacement for a stable tripod, since the legs are too short. Then, why don't you just have a portable chair and a monopod separately ? That way, it's more portable and flexible. And probably cheaper. Also, if tripod is really needed, there'a a product, called trekpod that can be monopod as well as tripod with short legs.

If you have to ask if ridiculous or brilliant then guess who is being ridiculous.

Just one thing missing. Nowhere on it to boil a kettle for your coffee.

Sometimes an idea is so crazy, it might just be crazy. Does it collapse only when you want it to?

Now a folding camera, that's another matter. I have had a few - Sanderson Quarter Plate, Agfa Karat , Agfa Isolette and Retina 1a. My father had a 2-1/4 square Super Ikonta, Ensign Selfix 1620 and Leica IIIa with collapsible Elmar.

I like it. I know some folks that carry a shooting stick cane chair so they can pause when walking around - garden touring etc. I wonder what places with a "no tripod" policy will think of this chair/tripod. I have a Go Pod chest tripod from a number of years ago. I get strange looks at the places with a no tripod policy. But then I point out - look, no legs.

would have to try it,,,might work good. Think a separate lite stool and monopod would give more flexibility . For those with bad feet or knees very helpful . The 3 legged stool can be rather unstable on soft ground and if it toppled over I would think it would be harder to save your camera as easily if the monopod was part of the stool.

At Dick’s Sporting Goods there’s a Mac camo 3-leg seat but with a back and cup holder for $19, plus $50 for the Manfrotto monopod at B&H ... both solid, with better features. But while sitting who wants to hold a monopod? OK It’s small/portable. Tripod is best. Just buy the chair and 10 packs of beer with what you save. Salute.

$200 is a bit much - but - speaking now at age 84, I think it is an excellent and logical idea. In practice I think I may be able to use my existing camera G clamp on the handle of a tripod chair/stick I already possess.Now, why didn't I think of that myself ?Answer : because I'm 84.

This isn't really for people shooting long exposure shots. This is for people who have trouble holding the camera steady at all. My dad is 75 years old. His hands shake quite a bit, so he has trouble holding a camera steady just for normal shooting. Something like this is made for him. It's not really for people who are doing critical shooting at slow shutter speeds.

Looks nice enough, but nearly $200? This will never be super stable. They would sell a heck of a lot more if it was $20 at Walmart -- folding fishing stools cost $12, and making one leg extend up and have an adjustable camera mount on it isn't hard. My Sunpak 5400DLX tripod cost $15.

I don't understand the argument people are giving, saying it will fall over if you stand up - of course it will - so does any monopod. But surely, if you sat on this device its feet would immediately sink into any sort of soft ground, which severely limits its usability. A traditional shooting-stick has a large base exactly for that reason.

"its feet would immediately sink into any sort of soft ground, which severely limits its usability."

It really depends on the nature of the soft ground. Sure it might sink in a bit, but then it would stabilize and stop. It's not as if it will sink right through the ground like it were quicksand. You can't make these broad-stroke generalized statements as fact. As with a lot of things, the proper answer is, "it depends."

Tripod chairs have been around for a while. And they seem to work well on a variety of surfaces, including soft ground.

This seems like a really good idea with one big problem. It looks like your weight is the only thing keeping the camera from falling face down. So, once you sit down, you can't really stand up without first finding some way to prevent gravity from sending your camera straight to the pavement, lens first.

I suppose it would work fine for a small and light compact camera, but I wouldn't want to try it with a large DSLR and a 70-200mm lens....

You can buy optional "silicone camera landing pad'!It will accept your camera safely while you figuring out how to stand up.It is made of memory foam top so your camera set would not bounce back once landed.:)

And then what do you do next? I suppose you would need to disconnect the camera from the tripod, or just keep holding it. Because if you let go of it, it hits the floor.

Perhaps there is some way of anchoring the rearmost leg? Or adding some huge weight as a counterbalance for a heavy kit? But it just doesn't seem very practical if you need to stand, sit, then stand again.

You don't hold onto the camera when you stand up, you hold onto the extended leg, just below the camera. That's what I do with my ordinary tripod. If I want to move the tripod with the camera still mounted, I just grab the upper part of one of the three legs and lift it up that way.

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